felves, and of too little importance in their confequences. The paper upon the diflinction of Fancy and Imagination is ingenious; but ingenuity may be wasted upon trifles. We may make the fame objections to two or three more. We recommend to particular notice, however, that upon Modern Sophifm; and it will be seen, how justly this author has difcriminated the conduct, and the refult of the opinions and doctrines, of a large proportion of men in this and the adjoining kingdoms. When men, who are looked up to as poffeffing fuperior talents, information, and abilities, have led the way to innovation, and removed that diftinction, which is neceffary to be most firially maintained, for the permanence of any form of government whatever, they must not be furprifed if their inferiors, warranted by their example, fhould hold all fuperiority in contempt. "Let the great therefore (to ufe the words of this writer) upon whom ruin has fallen or impended, partly thank themfelves for the fall of the bulwarks by themselves undermined. Let them remember that they opened the box of Pandora, which they now ftrive in vain to fhut. Has the fpirit of innovation been confined to the mob? A general opinion feems to have pervaded all ranks, that nothing which was old, could be right, and that every thing must be altered. Let the mighty, therefore not think themfelves blameless, if they have fallen or fear to fall; no fyftem of education could pleafe them which had formerly pleafed; no plan of policy was thought wife which the latt generation had commended; to blast an opimon, it was fufficient to hew, that it had been confecrated for ages. What have been the books, which we have feen perpetually in the hands of greatness? Rouffan, Voltaire, Gibbon, and fuch like, the parents either of irreligion, or revolution. Liberality was the watch word adopted by weakness, and the counterfign ufed by cunning, and under an excellent name lurked the feeds of anarchy, maffacre, and barbarifin,”

A few authors have endeavoured to depreciate the merits of Johnson, both as a man and as a critic; whom we, for our parts, have ftrenuously defended. We do not, however, contend that he was intallible, and if some part of the charges alledged against him by Mr. Browne must be admitted; ftill we contend that the abilities and indußry of that great man, have made ample recompence for what may be obje&ionable in fome few of his fentiments. In fpite of all attacks, Johnfon muft ever ftand diftinguished as a great and fincere moralitt, at pious and zealous Chriftian. We think it, therefore, unneceffary to contend with Mr. Browne. It appears too, that the farcaflic remark made by Dr. J. upon the Americans, is the ground-work both of Mr. B.'s refentment and accufations, against an individual, who with all his foibles and peculiarities, will remain the admiration of ages yet to come.

The fecond volume opens with an enthufiaftic picture of America; which, as we obferved, explained to us the author's

refentment

refentment against Dr. Johnson. It is far different from any we have ever seen of that country, but we can allow for a par tiality to thofe fcenes, where the years of innocence have paffed in focial tranquillity and delight. The paper upon Religion, fhows a warmth of heart, and fervor of imagination, that do infinite credit to the writer. The exceffive vanity of Voltaire is well known to the world; but the following extract will perhaps exhibit that, as well as his ignorance, in a remarkable degree; and as it must ever be of service to morality, to expose the abfurdities and mistakes of this admired, though pernicious writer, we infert it with the more readiness.

"The wit of Voltaire muft delight every mind, even while it detefts his principles, and defpifes his information. His impudent affectation of the latter, as to language and fcripture, has been well expofed in the Lettres Juives: we may judge of the mathematical knowledge of the man who pretended to obferve upon Newton, by the fol lowing pofition of his, which I once analyzed. He triumphantly in his History of Peter the Great (peaking of the population of Ruffia) exclaimed againft an English ambaffador, who faid that to every fquare mile in the Ruffian dominions, there were only five inhabitants. For fays he there are eight, inafinuch as they contain 111,000 fquare leagues, and there are twenty four millions of inhabitants. Now fo far is it from being true, that this would make eight inhabitants to a fquare mile, it would not make three, and it is molt evident to any eye that will take the trouble of confidering it, that his calculation pro ceeds on the fuppofition, that because three long miles make a league in length, therefore three fquare miles (inftead of nine) make a fquare league; for if we multiply one million and 110,000 (the number of fquare leagues in Ruffia according to him) by three, his calculation will be nearly right; but if you multiply that number by nine, the num ber of fquare miles will be nearly ten millions, and the inhabitants being twenty-four millions, there will not be of them two and a half to a quare mile, a calculation much smaller inftead of larger than, Lord ( Molefworth's; yet Voltaire with the most impudent triumph exclaims, L'Ambaffadeur Anglais eft abufe; mais il en avoit pas fans doute des memoires auffi fideles que ceux dont on a bien voulu n me faire part...

We must not difmifs our remarks upon these volumes, without acknowledging the pleafantry and wit contained in the three papers, written for the Flapper; nor without expreffing our approbation and esteem of the author; with the hope of being again favoured with an opportunity of perufing fome productions of his pent.

* This is a mistake. The Lettres Juives are by the Marquis d'Argens, who was rather the precurfor han the opponent of Voltaire. The author means, evidently, the "Lettres de quelques Juifs a M. de Voltaire."

+N. B. This is the same author, whofe lectures on the Civil Law form the fubject of our third article.

ART.

OR

ART. XII. Hiftorical and Familiar Effuys on the Scriptures of the New Teftament. By John Collier, Author of Ejays the Jewish Hiftory and Old Teftament. In Two Volumes. 8vo. Scarlett, 348, Strand. 14s. 1797.

IT

T is a peculiar advantage which belongs to the Holy Scriptures, that they admit of being placed in a variety of lights, and treated in an almoft infinite diverfity of forms, without the poffibility of betraying any marks of error or inconsistency. Compofed under the guidance of infpiration, and by those who had been eye witneifes of the facts recorded, they have the folemn feal of truth and authenticity; and are therefore incapable of receiving injury by the clofelt enquiry, or the most familiar investigation

Without conceiving, in the smallest degree, that the feriptures in their prefent form are any other than they should be, in order to be the best, we are yet of opinion that publications like the prefent, when judiciously executed, may tend to demonftrate the hiftorical order, which is not always perceptible to common minds; and to throw fome light upon facts and discourses, by bringing them methodically together, Much has been done in this way by harmonies; and the plan of these eflays embraces for the moft part the advantages which belong to them, with the additional attractions of a regularly conducted hiftory.

This author (whofe former works, it has not fallen within our province to notice) appears to be animated by a very laudable defire of extending the knowledge of fcripture. This he not improperly conceives will be moft effectually done, by prefenting the gofpel hiftory under the moft fimple and familiat forms. His Effays are only chapters of a continued work, and serve by their diftribution to anfwer the fame ends. The first volume contains the Life of Chrift; whofe difcourfes and miracles are given to the time and place to which they are moft generally fupposed to belong; and are interwoven with the parts of the history, fo as to aflist rather than interrupt the general courfe of the narrative.

Of the doctrine of our Saviour, the author in his Introduction thus fummarily speaks.

"The doctrine our Lord taught was, Faith in himself; the nature of fin and its danger; the neceffity of repentance and regeneration; affurance of pardon and restoration to the favour of God; the value of the foul and importance of its falvation; love of God and of our neighbour; the emptinefs and vanity of the world, with the infinite fuperiority of fpiritual enjoyments; piety; contentment; pa

tience;

tience; reliance on God; felf-denial; forgiveness of injuries; for giveness of enemies; univerfal candour and charity. These fublime leffons of moral virtue extend to the inmost receffes of the thoughts. Sin, in every the leaft degree, is discountenanced, while rankling in the heart, fain would he cruth its progrefs and existence, and deny it atterance." Vol. i, p. liv.

In relating the conferences which our Saviour maintained with his Difciples and others, as well as the precepts and parables which he delivered, the author ufually interweaves some remarks explanatory of the occafions upon which they were produced, and the particular customs and ufages to which they allude. In addition to this, the whole is for the most part paraphrased or changed fo far in refpect to its terms, as to accommodate the fenfe and expreffion to the capacities of common readers. An inftance of this fort will appear in the Parable of the Talents, which is thus related by the author of the Effays.

Allading to the cuftom in Judea, and other conquered countries, of going to Rome to be established in their government, and to pay homage to the emperor, our Lord faid-A certain prince went to a far country to be invested in his father's kingdom, with a defign to return directly, and fix his refidence at home. Having made preparations before he fet out, the prince called ten of his fervants, and gave to each ten pounds, and he said, trade with that fum till I come back. The prince had not been long gone before a tumult and factious spirit broke out among the citizens, and fome of them bafe and disloyal, forwarded ambaffadors, in order to intercept the King's acceffion and establishment, exprefsly declaring we will not fubmit to this man's authority, he fhall not reign over us. Now while the prince was abfent, they thought themselves certain of fuccefs, and perfifted in their revolt. Notwithstanding the kingdom was confirmed to him, and the prince returned back, invefted with full powers and authority. On his coming home, he first called before him those his fervants to whom he had entrusted his money, and enquired what improvement each of them had made..

The fervant who had gained the most drew near, and faid, Lord I have been fo fuccefsful, that thy pound hath gained ten pounds; and his Lord faid unto him, "Well done, thou good fervant, for thy faithfulness over a little I will reward thee. Be thou governor over ten cities." After him the fecond came, and delivered in his account, "Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds." And the prince said to him alfo," Thou good and faithful fervant, be thou governor over five cities." A third fervant now drew near and being negligent and flothful, he rudely excufed himself, and faid Sir, thy pound is here laid up in a napkin. I was afraid of thee, knowing thee to be an auftere man, who takeft up what thou didst not lay down, and reapest where thou hadit not fown. And his Lord was filled with indignation, and faid, "Thou wicked fervant, out of shine own mouth will I condemn thee. Thou knewest I was an austere

man,

man, taking up what I had not lain down, and reaping where I had not fown. Why then, for your own fecurity, didft thou not give my money to the bank, that on my coming I might have received my own with ufury? And, to fhew his difpleasure, he ordered them who ftood by, to take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds-(Wondering at this allotment, they faid to him) Sir, that man hath already ten pounds. The prince, however, food to his award, alledging that his faithfulnefs and diligence were deferving of it. And thus (fays the prince) am I determined to act in future. To every one that hath, and improves what he hath, fhall be given; but from him who hath not improved the little that he hath, that little fhall be taken from him. Having thus fettled with his fervants, the prince passed sentence on his rebellious citizens, who had forwarded an embafly to annul his claim and oppofe his government. With juft refentment (he faid) bring hither those my enemies, who in my abfence grew riotous, and raised a fedition. Slay them in my prefence with the fword. From the execution of rebels, let others be taught loyalty and fubmiffion.

To lay afide the allufion and explain the parable. It is as if our Lord had faid-I myself am going from you, and am about to receive my kingdom. Thus, at length, fhall I appear, not as a temporal prince, but as the fovereign judge and everlasting king. After having received of my father all power and dominion, I shall fummons before me all mankind, reward my faithful followers, who hate improved those gifts and graces I have given them, with the joys of immortality; and pafs fentence on the feditious and negligent, thofe who reject my gofpel and refufe to fubmit to my authority. Beware, my difeiples, left any of you be found among thofe wicked fervants who have infulted and defpifed it." Vol. 1, p. 302.

In the fecond volume the anthor, purfues his fcriptural narrative, by adding the most memorable parts of the Apoftolic History to that of Chrift already given. This fecond part is introduced by a preliminary effay upon the first planting of Christianity. The writer then traces, in chronological order, the Event of Pentecoft, the Journies of Paul and Barnabas, and other circumstances inftrumental in diffufing the Gospel. To the Epiftles which follow are prefixed fome anecdotes of St. Paul, and a brief but perfpicuous abftract of each refpective Epittle. We fhail add to the extracts already made, the author's abftract of the Epiftle to the Hebrews, as a fpecimen of the manner in which this part of his work is executed.

"It is (fays Mr. Collier) a folemn, eloquent, and mott perfuafive addrefs to his countrymen, the Hebrews, whom he invitingly calls the. children of Abraham, a name ever grateful to the Jew. By adding it to his own title, God had diftinguishingly honoured it. This letter was written during his imprifonment at Rome, in the year 62--" when he was in bonds,and delivered to the brethren in general, but first sent to thofe in Judea and Jerufalem. Paul directs it" To the difperfed.